Eternal
by DemonSan
Summary: Yet another collection of the encounters between Sora and Riku, told through Riku's eyes, starting with the invasion of the island. RxS SLASH!
1. Part I

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts isn't mine, no matter how much I adore it.

Note: English isn't my first language, so please forgive any mistakes. Thank you. ALSO: this is a slash pairing. Don't like it, don't read it!

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PART I

It isn't the storm that's calling me outside...it's a feeling. Adrenaline surges through my veins and makes it hard to move without trembling, but somehow I manage to make my way to the bridge. Small shadow creatures sprout up from the ground, but I shy around them and ignore the claws digging into my ankles.

I'm filled with excitement, with elation. We're finally getting off this godforsaken island. I wait at the end of the bridge; hoping one of my friends will come. No matter how badly I want to get off the island, I don't want to do it alone.

My patience pays off in the form of footsteps. A familiar voice cries out, "Riku!" A faint smile tugs at my lips.

"Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you!" Sora demands, glancing nervously at the shadows assembling behind us. He tightens his grip on the wooden sword in his hand and pants for breath.

"The door has opened," I say, staring at the darkness enclosing around our home. The wind picks up.

"What?" He's confused. He searches my eyes for reassurance, his hand flickering close to my shoulder. He seems anxious...don't worry, Sora. I won't leave you behind.

"The door has opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talking about? We've gotta find Kairi!" he argues desperately. That's right. He would never leave anyone behind.

Still, I'm impatient. Can't he forget about Kairi for just one second? "Kairi's coming with us! Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!" Come with me, Sora, before it's too late!

I offer him my hand, and wait.

He starts to take it, but there's something growing between us, a barrier made of shadow. The shadow is cold and hungry, separating Sora and me. The smile is still on my face, as I patiently wait. The shadow expands and Sora struggles, but it's no use. There's something—a key?—in my hand...no, it's in Sora's...I open my mouth to say his name.

There's a dark flash, and I bury my face in my sleeve. When I open my eyes again, Sora is gone. Shock floods my senses and I fall to my knees, hitting the ground harder than necessary. Foreign scenery materializes in an instant, like the pictures out of a pop-up book. Tall, slippery cliffs tower over me, topped off by a giant castle. It's too much to take in all at once, and the world fades to black.

When I wake up, there's a woman hovering over me, smirking the slightest. Her skin's an eerie white, and a raven caws from a spot on her shoulder.

"Welcome, my boy," she says soothingly, but I catch an air of maliciousness. "Welcome to Hollow Bastion."

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End Note: Don't flame for the pairing; there was a clear warning at the top of the page. Criticism is cherished, though! Tell me if you think my English needs more work, I'd love to hear what you think. No worries, chapters will get longer—this was just a short scene to work with.


	2. Part II

0.0 A review! (Hugs Bando-Eido no Megami-sama) Thank you very much, I'm glad you like it. Here's another chapter, dedicated to you!

Disclaimer: Not mine. Kingdom Hearts respectively belongs to Squaresoft and Disney.

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ETERNAL, PART TWO—Riku.

I blink dumbly. He's still there, staring back at me with wide eyes. It's really Sora...

"There you are," I say, "what's going on?" He opens his mouth, closes it, and opens it again.

"Riku!" He crosses the gap between us and starts to pry open my mouth. What the heck is he doing?

"Hey, cut it out!" I step back and grin at him. Yeah, same old Sora. Thank god.

"I'm not dreaming this time, right?" he wonders aloud.

"I hope not. It took forever to find you." It's true—I've barely slept these past two weeks, determined to find him or Kairi. Kairi is probably safe up in the small house next to the second district, knowing Sora. He wouldn't want to endanger her, and Traverse Town is full of rogue Heartless.

"Riku," he repeats happily, and then pauses. "Wait a second, where's Kairi?"

Oh. So much for that idea. I'm not too concerned, though. "Isn't she with you?" It's a stupid question. "Well, don't worry about it, I'm sure she made it off the island, too. We're finally free." I smile benignly at the thought. "Hey, she might even be looking for us now." To be honest, I wouldn't count on it.

"We'll all be together soon," I continue. "Don't worry." I'll take care of you, Sora... "Just leave everything to me. I know this--" I start to mention Maleficent, when the sound of tearing flesh rings out from behind me. I whirl around, prepared for the worst.

A shadow gradually combusts and melts back into the ground. Sora smiles smugly, standing a few steps from the defeated shadow, and asks, "leave it to who?"

I stare. There's a key in Sora's right hand, still covered with the crumbling ash of the shadow. Isn't that the key from that night on the island?

"Sora, what did you--?"

"I've been looking for you, and Kairi too," he explains. "With their help." He waves his hand towards two people—if you can call them that—beside him. How did I not notice them before?

I'm speechless. Somehow, I ask uneasily, "who are they?" It's some kind of duck...thing...that answers my question.

"Ahem." The duck's nasal voice will inevitably drive me crazy. "My name's—"

I couldn't care less. Sora, have you replaced me? I squander the thought. Yeah, right! You don't just toss away years of friendship because of two weeks apart!

"We've visited so many places and worlds, looking for you." I guess he isn't the same old Sora after all. It's kind of a scary thought: what else has changed while we were apart?

"Really? Well, what do you know?" I grin a little. "I never would have guessed." He looks so much stronger than he used too, so much more confident.

"Oh, and guess what!" The dog-creature says cheerfully, not giving me time to answer. "Sora's the keyblade master! Who would've thought it?"

"What's that mean?!" Sora asks defensively. I pull the key from Sora's limp hand and examine it briefly. It's light and cold to the touch, fitting my hand almost perfectly.

'Keyblade?' I think back to the night on the island, for the millionth time. What are the odds? Maleficent's words..."you have been chosen." What do they mean? Chosen for what? I slash upwards with the keyblade, tightening my grip on the handle almost possessively.

"So this is called a keyblade," I muse.

"H-hey! Give it back!" Sora says frantically. My grip loosens and I toss the keyblade to him.

"Catch."

He does, his face relieved. Aw, c'mon Sora, did you really think I'd steal it? I was just looking! Honest!

"Okay, so you're coming with us, right?" Sora asks, more relaxed.

Of cour—

"NO! HE CAN'T COME!"

My mood darkens as I watch the duck-creature and Sora argue. Eventually, I can't take it anymore. I slip away and return to the upper part of the third district, coldly ignoring Maleficent's knowing stare.

-

We stand together outside the small house. I can just barely make out Sora's profile through the drawn window shade, but it gives me little comfort. Maleficent's poison-tipped words are beginning to get to me...

"You see? It's just as I told you. While you toiled away trying to find your dear friend, he quite simply replaced you with some new companions."

She's wrong.

"Evidently, now he values them for more than he does you."

She's lying...

"You're better off without that wretched boy."

Uncalled for fury explodes through my mind and leaves me shaking with anger. Don't you insult Sora like that! You're lying! Don't you dare! Coherent thought turns to gibberish, blending together in my head.

Denial?...a voice whispers.

Maleficent's dangerous smile grows. "Now, think no more of him, and come with me."

In my shaken state, I can do no more then follow her into a dark portal, staring at the house for one last glimpse of Sora.

Maleficent's words, whether natural or enchanted, make a lot of sense.

Replaced?

Yes, I think so.

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End Note: Another chapter done. Reviews will be loved and cherished always! Sorry again for the short chapter...this kind of story doesn't really give me a lot to go on. Apologies!


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